LAST UPDATE | 23 Jul 2023
Down 1-9 Carlow 0-8
Kildare 1-4 Wexford 0-2
Clare 2-14 Antrim 1-13
*****
A LATE GOAL from Orla Swail proved pivotal at Parnell Park as Down saw off a spirited challenge from Carlow to book their place in the TG4 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship decider.
Having suffered relegation from the intermediate grade last year, Down will now have a golden opportunity to secure an automatic return to the second-tier in a fortnight’s time when they face Limerick at Croke Park.
Playing in their third consecutive semi-final at this level, Carlow enjoyed an excellent start as Edel Hayden and Sinead Hayden both kicked impressive points inside the opening three minutes. The Mourne women eventually settled into the contest, however, with the full-forward line of Eimear Fitzpatrick, Natasha Ferris (free) and Aimee O’Higgins all finding the range to squeeze their side in front.
Ferris and Bredagh’s Laoise Duffy raised white flags to extend the Down lead, before Rachel Sawyer finally responded with a point for Carlow on the first-quarter mark. Yet Ferris was posing a constant threat to the Leinster outfit’s defence and the Bryansford ace kicked another fine score from play on 19 minutes.
Talented dual player Sawyer did register her second point towards the end of the half, but Down nevertheless brought a 0-6 to 0-4 cushion into the interval.
While another contribution by Sawyer reduced the gap to a bare minimum on the resumption, Aoife Brogan eased Down’s nerves with an outstanding point at an awkward right-hand angle. The industrious Fitzpatrick and Sawyer traded scores in advance of a pointed free from Carlow centre-forward Cliodhna Ni She to leave Peter Lynch’s Ulster side a point to the good at 0-8 to 0-7 moving into the final-quarter.
Ni She found the net for Carlow off another free on 50 minutes but — much to the relief of the travelling Down faithful — it was ultimately disallowed after referee Justin Murphy consulted with his umpires.
This game was still delicately balanced at this stage, before Down pounced for the decisive score of the tie with four minutes remaining. Although their skipper Meghan Doherty was in the sin-bin, substitute Swail fired home from a right-hand angle for the only goal of the game.
Sara Doyle did reduce the deficit to three at the opposing end, only for Duffy to seal victory for Down with a well-worked point.
Scorers – Down: N Ferris 0-3 (1f), O Swail 1-0, L Duffy, E Fitzpatrick 0-2 each, A Brogan, A O’Higgins 0-1 each.
Carlow: R Sawyer 0-4, C Ni She (f), E Hayden, S Doyle, S Hayden 0-1 each.
DOWN: A McGivern; A Greene, P Smyth, O Boyle; N McKibbin, M Doherty, O Duffy; C Mulvenna, A Brogan; N Scullion, V McCormack, L Duffy; E Fitzpatrick, N Ferris, A O’Higgins.
Subs: A Cull for O’Higgins (45), O Swail for Fitzpatrick (47), K McKay for Mulvenna (49), E Martin for Ferris (57).
CARLOW: N Hanley; A Carroll, A Roche, S McCullagh; R Bermingham, N Murphy, N Forde; E Hayden, R Bailey; R Sawyer, C Ni She, S Doyle; E Molloy, E Coogan, S Hayden.
Subs: C Jordan for Coogan (35), E Ware for Molloy (41), A O’Donoghue for S Hayden (45), E Treacy for Forde (59), K Collins for Sawyer (62).
Ref: Justin Murphy (Cork).
*****
Kildare 1-4
Wexford 0-2
Neasa Dooley struck a 53rd minute goal at Parnell Park as Kildare got the better of Wexford in a low-scoring affair to advance into the final of the TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship.
The Lilywhites claimed the Mary Quinn Memorial Cup seven years ago with a narrow victory over Clare at Croke Park and it is the Banner County who will once again stand in their way at GAA HQ two weeks from now.
Roisin Byrne got the ball rolling in this game with a second-minute point and Lilies midfielder Aoife Rattigan then doubled their advantage with a similar effort.
Wexford opened their account after five minutes through Amy Walsh’s well-taken score and they restored parity via a perfectly-executed Chloe Foxe free.
Lara Curran split the uprights to end a long barren spell in front of goal for Kildare and consequently offer them a 0-3 to 0-2 buffer at the break.
Diane O’Hora’s charges largely dominated possession in the early stages of the second half and when the play was called back for a foul on substitute Grainne Kenneally, Byrne comfortably stroked over a close-in free.
Kildare held onto this 0-4 to 0-2 cushion moving into the closing-quarter of a tense battle. The Slaneysiders were still very much in the reckoning for a third successive appearance in an intermediate final, but were ultimately rocked by the concession of a goal with seven minutes remaining.
After blocking an attempted hand pass out of defence, Dooley spotted that Wexford netminder Sophie Lenehan was out of position and she hammered the ball to the net.
Clare saw off Antrim by 2-14 to 1-13 in the other semi-final at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park in Longford.
Aisling Reidy got a goal for Clare which helped them lead by 1-9 to 1-7 at the break, with Maria O’Neill fisting home Antrim’s goal.
A stunning goal from Chloe Moloney after 44 minutes put Clare in the driving seat and they pushed on to secure their place in the final where they will hope to get revenge on Kildare for that 2016 final defeat.
Scorers – Kildare: N Dooley 1-0, R Byrne 0-2 (1f), A Rattigan, L Curran 0-1 each.
Wexford: C Foxe (f), A Walsh 0-1 each.
KILDARE: M Hulgraine; L Burke, L Lenehan, A Clifford; L Gilbert, R Sargent, L Murtagh; G Clifford, A Rattigan; T Duggan, N Dooley, C Sullivan; E Dowling, R Byrne, L Curran.
Subs: G Kenneally for Dowling (27), M Doherty for Duggan (h-t), S Munnelly for Gilbert (33-52, blood), O Sullivan for Rattigan (48).
WEXFORD: S Lenehan; A Halligan, S Murphy, S Harding Kenny; B Breen, R Murphy, C Donnelly; A Walsh, C Banville; A Murphy, C Murray, A Cullen; K English, C Foxe, A Lacey.
Subs: E Tomkins for Banville (33-38, blood), Tomkins for Walsh (44), M Byrne for Lacey (48), B McDonald for Cullen, O Byrne for Murray (both 54), C Ni Nuallain for Banville (59).
Ref: Philip Conway (Armagh).